I first shared this sugar cookie recipe here, two Christmases ago. It’s a recipe that has been in our family for many years, perfect for any occasion, these cookies are always a hit! When I was little, we would use any excuse … Continue reading Vanilla Bean Iced Sugar Cookies

This recipe was one of my great grandma’s specialties. Champagne Salad was one of the desserts that Granny always made for holidays, it was my favorite! Last Christmas I made these Tea Towels using Granny’s handwritten recipe card for this dessert. After featuring the DIY on the blog, several people asked me about the recipe and I knew that it was one that I wanted to make and share here. This frozen dessert is creamy and full of fruit, it’s perfect for summer (especially if you don’t have an ice cream maker). Make a batch of this dessert, slice it up, then … Continue reading Champagne Salad Frozen Dessert

I’ve had my eye on these mini graham cracker crusts for a while now, waiting for the perfect occasion to use them! I finally bought them to use for these mini desserts for Mother’s Day. This Banana Split Dessert recipe has been a favorite in my family for a while now. It’s a rich and refreshing dessert that has a creamy cheesecake layer topped with fresh fruit. And this is a quick recipe, no baking required. Perfect for Summer! My one complaint about these mini crusts is their package count. They come in counts of 6 and I found that … Continue reading No-Bake Banana Split Dessert

It’s been a busy week around here. We’ve been packing, painting and patching nail holes as we’re preparing to move in a few weeks. It’s a sad thing to paint our bold accent walls back to beige. I decided that taking a break to make these colorful treats might make me feel a little bit better! This is the quick, classic rice krispie treat recipe with a fun cereal swap! I added a little Easter twist by shaping some of the treats into an egg shape. Kind of festive! Fruity Pebbles Marshmallow Treats … Continue reading Fruity Pebbles Marshmallow Treats

My husband and I finally made our first trip to a Trader Joe’s several weeks ago. Trader Joe’s grocery stores have found their way into North Texas, but the closest one is still 45 minutes from where we live. I was most excited to check out their snack selection (it’s obviously not very practical to go that far to buy refrigerated and frozen groceries). I picked up a handful of items to try out, including Roasted Coconut Chips (large pieces of roasted coconut, flavored lightly with sugar and salt – YUM!) and their famous Cookie Butter. Trader Joe’s cookie butter … Continue reading Speculoos Cookie Butter Smoothie Recipe

With the new year, I’ve decided to try to eat breakfast more often and also eat more fresh fruit. Why not do both at the same time? Smoothies are a great way to do just that! I’ve been noticing the trend of adding oats to smoothies, I was intrigued and had to give it a try. I really liked the addition! It gives smoothies sort of a doughy taste, in a really good way. If you know me well at all, you know that I really dislike bananas, but they give a great texture to smoothies and, when blended with … Continue reading Blueberry Banana Oat Smoothie

It’s that time of the year again, time for baking and taking all kinds of sweets to Christmas gatherings! If you’re still searching for a holiday dessert recipe, try these Cranberry Bliss Bars: blondies with the addition of white chocolate chips and tart dried cranberries, iced with cream cheese frosting. I love how festive the colors in this dessert are, it’s perfect for sharing! If you hadn’t already guessed, this is a copycat recipe for Starbucks’ Cranberry Bliss Bars. Recipe was slightly altered from here. Cranberry Bliss Bars 1/2 cup butter 1 large egg 1 cup light brown sugar (packed) … Continue reading Cranberry Bliss Bars

Peppermint candies are so festive and classic, no matter what time of the year it is, the sight and smell of peppermints always reminds me of the holidays. Peppermint Candy Ornaments are thrifty and quick to make, they’re a handmade project that is perfect for this time of the year, when we’re all running a little lower on money and time! You could make a dozen of these edible ornaments at just a dollar per bag of peppermints! These melted candies aren’t just for the tree either! Use this method to create cute little edible toppers for cupcakes or brownies … Continue reading Peppermint Candy Christmas Ornaments

This cheesecake is perfectly rich and creamy, with a smooth and sweet sour cream topping. This is the cheesecake recipe that my mom has always made, it really is the best! I made this cheesecake in jars for my wedding and they were a great hit. We popped the leftover cheesecakes-in-a-jar straight into the freezer and they still tasted delicious. This year I made these mini cheesecakes for two Thanksgiving celebrations. Single serving cheesecakes are perfect for holiday dinners. I’ve included both mini and regular cheesecake baking instructions below. Look at that delicious layer of sour cream topping on top … Continue reading Best Ever Cheesecake

Hot chocolate is one of my favorite drinks in the wintertime! It’s so easy to make a batch of homemade hot chocolate mix. Just add this mix to hot water, milk, or coffee! You can easily turn your homemade mix into a pretty party favor or stocking stuffer… This mix goes perfectly with the Hot Chocolate Spoons that were on the blog a few days ago! Malted milk powder can be a little tricky to find, this recipe is good with or without! Malted Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe 3 cups powdered sugar 2 1/2 cups powdered milk 1/2 cup malted … Continue reading Malted Hot Chocolate Mix

Gorilla Bread is pretty similar to monkey bread, but each pull-apart piece is filled with a special ingredient… cream cheese! This delicious pastry has a caramelized cinnamon/sugar outside with a soft cream cheese center. It’s a simple recipe that takes only about 10 minutes to put together, making it a great Christmas morning breakfast (or after-dinner treat)! Note: I made half of this recipe and placed it into a large loaf pan. Use two loaf pans or a bundt pan if making the whole recipe. This is an adaption of Paula Deen’s recipe. Gorilla Bread … Continue reading Gorilla Bread

Hot Chocolate Spoons are perfect for stirring up a mug of hot chocolate or coffee! Try making them with any variety of chocolate and candy. My favorite is definitely the salted caramel! Create these spoons for a hot chocolate bar, give them as favors at your next Christmas party, use them as stocking stuffers, or enjoy them yourself! Try serving them with my homemade Malted Hot Chocolate Mix! I used these wooden spoons for this DIY, and created these flavor combinations: Salted Caramel // melted caramel squares topped with coarse sea salt Dark Chocolate Toffee // melted semi-sweet chocolate chips topped with toffee bits … Continue reading Hot Chocolate Spoons

I love peppermint everything at this time of the year! My husband and I had a Chick-fil-a date on Monday to celebrate the return of their Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake… Starbucks’ Peppermint White Chocolate Mochas are the best… and these Peppermint White Chocolate Pretzels are one of my favorite holiday treats! I love their simple salty-sweetness, with a hint of mint. They’re also the simplest Christmas treat to make. Peppermint White Chocolate Pretzels pretzels white chocolate chips peppermints Unwrap peppermint candies and place them into a ziplock bag. Use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to crush … Continue reading Peppermint White Chocolate Pretzels

These Cherry Turnovers have a flaky pastry outside with a warm cherry pie filling (and a sweet glaze!). They are a festive treat for the holidays… these turnovers are just as quick as opening a tube of cinnamon rolls, making them perfect for breakfast or dessert! This is one of those recipes that is so simple that you almost don’t need a recipe. I got my inspiration for these from the Pillsbury’s cherry turnover kits that I loved when I was growing up. I haven’t been able to find them anymore so I decided to make my own simple version. Try … Continue reading Cherry Turnover Pastries